Enormous battles for FIDE Presidency in 2018?

"I believe that participation of 4-5 candidates in the FIDE presidential election would be quite realistic to expect"

Andrey Filatov: 4-5 Candidates Could Stand in FIDE President Election

MOSCOW, 12 December - R-Sport, Oleg Bogatov. Four or five candidates may run for President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in the election to be held at the General Assembly of the organization in 2018, the President of the Russian Chess Federation (RCF) Andrey Filatov told R-Sport.

The election will be held during the World Chess Olympiad in September-October 2018 in Batumi (Georgia). The permanent president of the organization since 1995 is Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who earlier announced his decision to run again. FIDE Executive Board in October 2017 delegated the authority of the head of the organization to FIDE Vice President Georgios Makropoulos. Earlier, FIDE Executive Board opposed the nomination of Ilyumzhinov for a new presidential term.

"I believe that participation of 4-5 candidates in the FIDE presidential election would be quite realistic to expect", said Filatov in a telephone conversation. Including Georgios Makropoulos who is a worthy candidate and respected individual".

Filatov emphasized that he did not intend to run.

"I'd answer as follows: this is not my cycle", said the RCF President.

"It wouldn’t really be right for me now to talk about who our federation will support, Filatov continued. It will be up to the new President of the Russian Chess Federation to discuss this issue with colleagues and decide on whom the Russian Federation will support. I will run (for RCF President) next February, and if the chess community supports me, I will be able to answer you then. You will know whether I’ll be elected or not in February. We will support the best electable candidate"​.